Dave Sanos walked back towards Ken's brownstone. He had seen Gaudro leaving in a car with Myojin; this would be a good time to talk to the man. As he passed the bookstore, he waved at the twins, who just sort of stared at him as if something bad was going to happen. He pressed the buzzer at the doorway, and then his cell rang. He answered.
"I don't want you to come up now, Dave."
"Ken? You have my number?"
"Teo gave it to me. Give me some time please, today was a fucking nightmare."
Sanos walked out into the sidewalk to look up, but didn't see anyone in the windows. "She's gone down to the station, you're safe, Ken. Let me talk to you."
"Why do you keep seeing her as a threat to me, Dave? I told you, we've been friends and more for twenty-odd years. I think I know her and she has never offered to give me the slightest pain intentionally."
"Why were you so frightened then up in the apartment? Are you telling me you weren't?"
"Of course I was, but for you and her! She's taken on people before for hurting me and others and she can do damage. Then she pays for it in misery and guilt. I won't have her go through it for one piece of ass, I can't."
"Is that all it was, a piece of ass?"
"It was an itch to scratch and you did a damn fine job. But I've known you a day, don't ask me to choose you over her or you'll lose. Anyone who tries to come between us is a fool."
"Kenshin, how well do you know her?" Sanos sat down on the stoop of the brownstone. "Do you know who she really is? What she used to do? What she still does- I saw her at it yesterday. She was disciplining that young cop all right; she was using his nightstick! Do you know all this?"
"Of course I do! I met her when you were in the third grade, Dave! She did what she had to, just like I did. That was how we survived. She was just strong and smart enough to make it work for her and to give a hand to someone like me. So I wouldn't have to keep selling my ass for something to eat!" His voice caught on a sob that just about broke Dave's heart. "She has never asked me for a thing, except my friendship. I give her my love as a free gift; she does the same. Her preferences are her business, just as mine are. She doesn't force anyone to play; Myojin is there because he wants to be."
"You know about him? I thought she wasn't into men?"
"That's her business, I told you. Of course I know Katsu; he's a nice kid and thinks a lot of her both personally and professionally. That's their thing, just like you and I would have been no problem if it wasn't for those two little assholes in the bookstore. They set us up; they were there when Teo took on Rico and knew what would happen if she was frightened for me. It's gonna blow up in their little frog faces this time!"
No wonder the two of them looked so scared, if Teo was after them! "What happened, Ken, with Rico? That was your ex, right?" He just wanted to keep Kenshin talking; maybe he could persuade him to let him upstairs or to come out. No matter what he said, Ken had looked so scared and upset. She must have a tremendous hold on him! He heard the other man take a deep breath.
"Rico had been slapping me around for quite some time, and then he'd want sex – without protection. I knew he wasn't faithful to me, so I'd refuse, which would end up in more slapping around until I gave in. I didn't know he was snorting heroin; he hid that pretty well. He was an angel when he wasn't high or drunk. The last time I said no and decided to make it stick, he nailed me across the room and I blacked out. When I came to he was inside me! Dry!" The voice began to sob, and Sanos found himself weeping too. "I nailed him myself and got away. I didn't want Teo to know; she'd never thought much of him. And she was right. I hid at Jake's; he helped me with the cuts and swellings and got me an HIV test done."
"The day after, Teo was in the doorway when Jake answered. She wanted me home, she said, she didn't care what I had said and done to her when I left. My clothes were in the cab; Bev, Mary Ann, and Davy were moving the rest of my stuff out of Rico's place. Jake pushed me into her arms and I held on like a drowning man. She stayed by my side for three days taking total care of me and ran everything until I could go back to work at the bistro after a week."
"Rico was waiting for me in the alley when I went out to toss some trash the first night I worked. He wanted me back, I told him to fuck off. He grabbed me, and I tried to kick him away. Suddenly Teo came out of nowhere and pulled him off. She slammed him into the wall and held a knife to his eye. It was like a dream or nightmare I had seen before, Teo with the blade shining before her. She told him in very plain terms what would happen to him if he came near our place again. "I'm a cop, I can make you disappear, and no one will ever know. He doesn't want to prosecute you, but I will be your judge, jury, and executioner if you come near either of us ever again!" He believed her – he believed her so much he lost control of his bladder right then! She let him run and I never saw him again. He died two months later of an OD. I was lucky-I wasn't infected with anything. But God, it still hurts!" The two of them sat crying on the phone, getting Sanos some odd looks from passer-bys.
"Can't I come up, Kenshin? I'm so sorry about making you tell this. I want to apologize; I see now why you were scared. She must have frightened you terribly!"
Kenshin's sobs stopped, his voice turned cold. "You've got that idea stuck in your fucking head and it just won't come out, will it? I wasn't afraid of her – I was afraid for her! She could have lost her whole career over my fucking bad judgment! When I left the flat to be with Rico, I was drunk and pissed off at her. She wouldn't let him come here and live, she said she knew an asshole when she saw one and didn't want him in the house. We can't move someone in without the other's permission; it's in the agreement in Hank's will. She refused flat out. I hit her, Dave! I smacked her as hard as I could, I called her filthy names, I brought up every hurtful thing I could think of to throw because I was so freakin' stupid and mad and drunk. She just stood there and took it! She never raised a hand to stop me; she just stood there! Do you think that I'm afraid of her, you asshole! She should have been afraid of me! That's the real Teo, the woman I love. Kuroshinju-sama, my black pearl lady, the rarest of all. She's too gentle, too loving, with me; takes it all and comes back for more. She's mine and you won't come between us, she's forgiven me for far too much! Go to hell Dave and don't come near me again!"
The line went dead. Sanos sat wiping his eyes, trying to figure out what was real and what was fantasy. Who was this woman, anyway?
"Sanos are you all right?" Captain Shou leaned down to put a hand on his shoulder.
"What are you doing here, Captain?"
"I've been trying to get a hold of Gaudro, but her cell line is busy. I thought she might be here, since the last vic was so close."
"She's not here. She was supposed to be calling the boy's mother, that's why her cell's busy. I've been on the phone myself, a kind of upsetting call, excuse me." He blew his nose and wiped his face. "Any news?"
"Forensics is still on the site. Is Gaudro's husband home? I seem to remember that he was a little, dark haired guy. I hope he's staying in with this bullshit going on. Though I don't know how safe he'd be with her either. She's certainly got a temper when she's pissed off!"
"He's there, but I don't think he wants to talk now. I've got to be going, Captain. Let me know if you need me, okay?" Shou gave him a wave and headed down to the crime scene. Sanos stuck his cell in his pocket and looked up at the blank windows overhead. What was the truth?
The "twins" came out of the closed shop. Sanos walked over to them. "I've talked with Ken and if Teo doesn't nail your asses I will you stupid little fucks!" They fled as fast as their asses could go. Sanos turned for home. God, he could use a beer! And how would he get Kenshin to see him again?